大象传媒

What happens when your mother re-discovers romance in her seventies...?

In 1987 John Davies of Norwich's father died. During the next few years he and his brother were somewhat concerned about their mother as she seemed to become very reclusive and told them that she was doing very little with her life. Eventually, she did start going out with friends to a local church and became part of the team that prepared refreshments for church events, and she seemed very happy.

Also part of the church team was Albert, a widower, who helped out by driving people to and from the church. On one occasion a dare was issued to the ladies, as John explained "my mother went to the car window tapped and said to Albert as he rolled the window down, I've been told I've got to kiss you goodbye" She pecked him on the cheek and thought that was that". John's mother met Albert at church the same week and they got talking and then met at her home to play Scrabble. One night John's mother said the weather was too awful for Albert to travel home and would he like to spend the night in the spare room.

Soon Albert was having to park his car at the top of the road to stop the lady across the road from knowing what was going on. When John's mother and Albert arranged to stay with John, John felt he needed to broach the subject of the sleeping arrangements. But, as John explains, "sex was a subject that was never discussed. It wasn't part of the family conversation. It was one of those subjects that happened to other people." So he got his wife to do it. She put it to John's mother like this: "if you and Albert come to stay, we can either have the beds made up as twins or you can keep your feet warm." They both choose warm feet.